Yale Student Dies in Chemistry Lab Accident

NEW HAVEN, Conn.-- A Yale University student died in an apparent accident in a chemistry lab machine shop, school officials said.

Michele Dufault, a senior, died Tuesday night "in what appears to have been a terrible accident involving a piece of equipment." The school didn't say what the equipment was.

"By all reports, Michele was an exceptional young woman, an outstanding student and young scientist, a dear friend and a vibrant member of this community," Yale Vice President Linda Lorimer wrote in a message to Yale students and faculty. "We will find ways in the next day to gather to celebrate her life and grieve her loss."

Yale was offering counseling to students. The lab was closed Wednesday and classes were canceled in the building that houses the lab.

On its website, Yale's chemistry department says it maintains a state-of-the-art machine shop to allow students, faculty and staff to construct or modify research instrumentation. Access is limited to those who have completed a shop course, according to the website.